Pistol holster



F. FRANZ PISTOL HOLSTER Jan. 26 1932.

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PIS TOL HOLSTER Filed Oct. "(T1929 23heets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HIM/74x70 lmnz Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE FERDINAND.FRAI\TZ, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO H & D FOLSOM ARMS (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PISTOL HOLSTER Application filed October 7, 1929. Serial No. 397,790.

This invention relates to pistol holsters and especially to one in which the pistol is latched in the holster when inserted therein so that it can not be withdrawn or fall out of the holster until the latch is released.

A main object of the invention is to provide such a latch or catch mechanism and to so locate it on the holster that it will securely latch the pistol therein but will when operated permit the instantaneous removal of the pistol.

A further object is to so dispose the catch mechanism that as the hand approaches the holster to withdraw the pistol the thumb of the hand in its natural extended position will strike the catch and release, the line of movement of the thumb being at all times in the normal plane of movement of the hand in approaching the holster.

Further and more specific objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of thespecification and which illustrate one present preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the holster with with part of the holster broken away to show the latch mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a view of the holster and the gun in the hand removed therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the front of the catch member;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the back of the latch;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the latch engaged; and,

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the latch disengaged. 7

As shown in the drawings, the invention concerns a simple and GifiClGIlt latch mechanism for a holster 10 within which a pistol 11 is normally housed and adapted'to be engaged and withdrawn by the hand 12. It will be seen that as the hand approaches the holster to grip and withdraw the pistol, the thumb of the hand in its natural forward movement encounters the holster edge near the hammer the thumb or this portion of the hand in itse. forward movementtoward the holster is substantially in the plane of the hand as it is when, for instance, the hand is held forward in the act of shaking hands. Therefore any encounter between the portion of the hand";

and the holster near the hammer of the pistol is in this plane anda natural and forward one. 1

In accordance with the invention there is disposed on this portion of the holster 10 a;

' the cylinder of the pistol 11 when the pistol" 11 is properly and fully inserted in the holster 10. The fiat steel piece 13 is preferably sewed Within the material of the holster as shown and because of its length is firmly an chored therein. It may also be otherwise fas-ttened therein as by riveting. The holster is also provided around its middle with a reinforcing steel band such as 16 which tends to maintain somewhat a given contour to the holster to enable the ready insertion of pistol therein. 7

It will thus be observed that as the hand moves to engage the pistol, that portion of it the which encounters the holster to release the catch is not required to move to release it in any other than the natural and normal line and plane of approach and consequently the release is eifected with ease and dispatch and certainty whereas if the engaging portion of the hand were required to move in an unnormal and unnatural direction to release the catch the percentage of fumbles would be large and the results often fatal to the person using the pistol.

While the invention has been described in detail and with respect to a present preferred form thereof, it is not intended to limit it to such details and forms since many changes and modifications may be made and the invention embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications coming within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

What is claimed, is,

1. In combination with a pistol holster of a pistol disposed therein with its hammer disposed adjacent the upper front wall of the holster, :1 spring catch disposed on the upper portion of the front wall of the holster and projecting into the pistol receiving chamber to engage the cylinder of the pistol, said upper front wall of the holster being engageable by the thumb of the operator in the act of removing the pistol to deflect said wall and release said catch from said cylinder.

2. In combination with a holster having a receiving chamber, a pistol disposed in said chamber with the cylinder and hammer disposed adjacent the upper front portion of the holster, a spring plate disposed on said upper front portion and having an inwardly projecting downwardly facing shoulder thereon adapted to bear downwardly on the adjacent face of the pistol cylinder to hold the pistol in the holster, said spring shoulder being releasable upon the deflection of the upper front wall of the holster by the thumb of the operator as the hand of the operator is moved forward to grasp the pistol to remove it from the holster. V

3. In combination with a holster having a. pistol receiving chamber of a pistol disposed therein with its cylinder and hammer disposed adjacent the upper portion of the front wall of the holster, a flat spring plate sewed within the material of the holster along the front wall near the upper part thereof, a triangular projection on said plate extending into the holster chamber and having a downwardly disposed shoulder adapted to lie abutting and above the adjacent surface of the pistol cylinder to hold the pistol in the holster, said shoulder being removable upon deflecting the front wall of the holster by the thumb of the operator in the normal movement of the thumb and hand toward the holster to re move the pistol therefrom.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New York this 5th day of October, A. D., 1929.

FERDINAND FRANZ. 

